Minorities at Risk around the World

Guest: Quinn Mecham, Professor of Political Science, BYU

The weekend brought some dramatic developments along Syria’s border with Turkey. Turkish forces invaded towns held by Syrian Kurds, who had been key allies of the US in the fight against ISIS. President Donald Trump has ordered US forces to withdraw from the area. And so, the Kurds have turned to the Syrian government of Bashar al Assad for support in fighting the Turks.

Processing Processed Food Guilt

Guest: Ruth MacDonald, Department Chair / CALS Assistant Dean of Graduate Programs, Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, Iowa State University

Processed food is making us overweight and destroying our gut microbiome. I’ve heard so many versions of that, I feel a bit guilty whenever I eat something that comes in a package. Especially if it’s a snack food. But what exactly is it about processed foods that’s so bad?

Connecting with Nature through Professional Tree Climbing

Guest: Tim Kovar, Founder of Tree Climbing Planet

Most of us stopped climbing trees a long time ago. I was never good at it as a kid, either, honestly. But Tim Kovar never stopped, and now spends his time coaxing adults back into the branches. He’s a master tree climbing instructor and founder of Tree Climbing Planet.

Colombia Remains Open to Venezuelan Refugees, But the Cost is Steep

Guest: Francisco Santos Calderon, Colombia’s Ambassador to the US, Former Vice President of Colombia

More than 3.5 million Venezuelans have fled the country’s collapsed economy, government repression and violence over the last three years. Most are living as refugees in neighboring countries –Brazil, Peru, Ecuador. Colombia has welcomed almost half of the displaced Venezuelans and has remained relatively open to new refugees from the crisis as the other countries I mentioned have started imposing restrictions.

Update on This Year’s Flu and How It Spreads

Guest: William Schaffner, M.D., Professor of Preventive Medicine, Health Policy, and Infectious Diseases at Vanderbilt University Medical Center

Why is the flu such a big deal? Is it really that contagious? Dr. Schaffner is an expert on flu and provides some surprising information about how it spreads and why we should protect ourselves. And, for those who at a higher risk to be seriously harmed by the flu, there are medications that can help.

Walt Disney’s Shaping of American Ideals

Guest: Bethanee Bemis, Museum Specialist in Political and Military History, Smithsonian National Museum of American History

Mickey Mouse and his Disney pals embody joy and magic and childlike wonder. For a century, they’ve also been ambassadors of American culture around the world. Here in the US, Smithsonian Museum curator Bethanee Bemis says, Disney cartoons and theme parks have “played a dominant role in shaping our collective memory of American history.”